Cher

Cher, born Cheryl Sarkisian La Pierre on May 20, 1946, in El Centro, California, is an American artist whose career spans over six decades across music, film, television, and theater.

She rose to fame in the 1960s as part of the folk rock duo Sonny & Cher with her then-husband, scoring a US and UK number one with I Got You Babe in 1965. Concurrently, she launched a solo career with hits like Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) and You Better Sit Down Kids.

In the 1970s, she became a major television personality with *The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour* and later *Cher*. She also achieved solo chart success with Billboard Hot 100 number ones such as Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves, Half-Breed, and Dark Lady.

After divorcing Sonny Bono in 1975, she embraced disco with the 1979 album *Take Me Home* and performed a Las Vegas concert residency from 1979 to 1982.

Her film career flourished in the early 1980s. Following Broadway and film work in *Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean*, she earned critical acclaim for roles in *Silkwood* (1983), *Mask* (1985), *The Witches of Eastwick* (1987), and *Moonstruck* (1987), winning the Academy Award for Best Actress for the latter.

She renewed her musical success in the late 1980s and early 1990s with rock-influenced albums like *Cher* (1987), *Heart of Stone* (1989), and *Love Hurts* (1991), producing hits such as I Found Someone, If I Could Turn Back Time, and Love and Understanding. She also contributed to the *Mermaids* (1990) soundtrack with the UK number one The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss).

In 1998, Cher reached new commercial heights with the dance-pop album *Believe*. Its pioneering use of Auto-Tune on the title track Believe created the distinctive “Cher effect,” leading to a global hit that topped the Billboard Hot 100 year-end chart for 1999.

During the 2000s, her *Living Proof: The Farewell Tour* (2002–2005) was one of the highest-grossing tours ever. She later performed a residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas from 2008 to 2011.

In the 2010s, she appeared in films like *Burlesque* (2010) and *Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again* (2018) and released the albums *Closer to the Truth* (2013) and *Dancing Queen* (2018), a tribute to ABBA, both debuting at number three on the Billboard 200.

Throughout her career, Cher has used aliases including Bonnie Jo Mason, Cherilyn Sarkisian, Cher Allman, and Cher Bono. She also fronted the band Black Rose (8) in 1980–1981.

With over 100 million records sold, she is one of the best-selling music artists worldwide. She is the only artist to date to have a number-one single on a Billboard chart in six consecutive decades, from the 1960s to the 2020s. Her numerous awards include a Grammy, an Emmy, an Academy Award, three Golden Globes, the Billboard Icon Award, and honors from the Kennedy Center and the Council of Fashion Designers of America.

Beyond entertainment, she is known for her outspokenness, social media presence, philanthropy, and activism, particularly for LGBT rights and HIV/AIDS prevention.